SA to face Bangladesh in U-19 World Cup quarterfinal
● SA will face Bangladesh in the ICC Under19 World Cup Super League quarterfinals in Potchefstroom on Thursday after seeing off the United Arab Emirates by 23 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method.
SA, who batted first at the Mangaung Oval, totalled 299/8 in their 50 overs. UAE, who knew there was rain later in the game, started quickly with 44 runs off the first five overs.
They lost wickets though and were tamed to 112/3 in 23.5 overs before the elements had the final say.
Jonathan Figy (36*), a capped international, and Kai Smith (18*) mounted a spirited defiance with an unbeaten 47-run stand after the visitors slipped to 65/3 in the 10th over after their electric start.
Vriitya Aravind, another capped international, raced to 31 off 17 balls but when he fell to SA captain Bryce Parsons (1/22), he took the momentum with him.
Aryan Lakra (six) and Ansh Tandon (12) fell to Achille Cloete (1/27) and Pheko Moletsane (1/14) respectively to stall momentum before the weather delays.
There were two rain stoppages at 15.43 and 16.21 respectively, with the latter accompanied by a dust-storm ending the game.
The batting heavy lifting for SA was again delivered by Parsons (84) and Luke Beaufort (85).
They combined for a 152-run, third wicket stand that put the hosts in a very strong position.
They didn't get to their deserved centuries as they were caught at deep extra cover by Karthik Meiyappan and Akasha Tahir off Sanchit Sharma (3/57).
Their wickets slowed SA down significantly and in the last 10 overs they could only score 74 runs.
Gerald Coetzee's big-hitting absence was sorely felt, but their best batsmen had done what was required of them.
South Africa’s start was a bright one after Parsons had called correctly.
Jonathan Bird (43) and Khanya Cotani (19) briskly put together 63 for the first wicket in exactly 10 overs.
They fell within five balls of each other as Lakra (3/48) trapped them in front.
Fresh from a 93-ball 121 against Canada on Wednesday, Parsons again led the way with a measured innings.
He saw off the spin threat posed by Lakra and Meiyappan and in raising his 50 off 46 balls, he set himself and the team up very well for a competitive total.
Converting a start to a 50 was refreshing for Beaufort, who got in both games against Afghanistan and Canada.
His 50 was slower, coming off 66 balls but after the Afghanistan debacle, SA’s senior batsmen have more than taken up the cudgels.
The same has applied to Bird, whose measured belligerence again gave SA a decent platform.
There wasn’t a 50 from him, but his 36ball innings contained seven fours and one six.
Cotani moved up the order to replace the struggling Andrew Louw and he was content to rotate the strike.
However, what was missing was the late middle-order punch that should have pushed the score well past 300.
Tyrese Karelse (26), Tiaan van Vuuren (two), Jack Lees (15), Pheko Moletsane (12*), Merrick Brett (six) and Cloete (2*) all failed to get the run-rate moving faster in the right direction.
The rain though moved the hosts in the right direction of the play-offs.